Fluorescent light fixture



Nov. 15, 1955 E. F. ZURAWSKI FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Sept. 4, 1952 Nov. 15, 1955 E. F. ZURAWSKI 2,724,047

FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE Filed Sept. 4, 1952 :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 15,1955 E. F. ZURAWSKI 2,724,047

FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE Filed Sept- 4, 952 s Sheets-Sheet s Unitedfltates Patent FLUOREflCENT LIGHT FIXTURE Edward F. Zurawski, Chicago,Ill., assignor to Garden City Plating 2 Manufacturing Co., a comorationof Illinois Application September 4, 1952, Serial No. 3ll7,763 7 Claims.(Cl. 240-l.11)

This invention relates to a fluorescent light fixture and has particularreference to means for simplifying the as sembly of the component partsthereof.

in accordance with the present invention a pair of lugs is struck outfrom each end plate, and a socket and the adjacent portion of thereflector are rigidly secured to each L pertin one end of the louverwhich may be snapped into place. The louver may be removed quickly andeasily by pressing the ends of the leaf spring inwardly to disengagethem from the apertures in the louver with which they are engaged.

The structure of the present invention by means of which the above andother advantages are attained will described in the followingspecification, taken in conction with the accompanying drawings, showinga preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a light fixtureembodying the invention, with the fluorescent light tubes and the louveromitted to facilitate illustration of the structure;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the louver;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of the plastic side plate;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the fixture with the plastic sideplates omitted;

Pig. 5 is a bottom elevational View of thefixture with plastic sideplates omitted;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the fixture shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is across sectional view, taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section,showing the socket secured to the fixture; and

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of the structure shown in Fig. 9.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates an end plate havingcurved sides and having its upper edge recessed adjacent each side. Theupper edge of the end plate is bent inwardly to form a flange 3extending across the center portion thereof. The side portions of theupper edge of the end plate are each provided with a flange 4 whichextends along the side and terminates at its lower edge in an upwardlycurved portion 5. The upper poo tion of flange 4 extends horizontallyfrom the upper portion of, the side in a planeparallel to but spacedbelow the plane of flange 3. The inner ends of flanges 4 terminate ashort distance outwardly from the ends of flange .31. l The upperhorizontal portion of, each flange 4 is providedwith an..apcrture 6. VAresilient arm 7, having one end rigidly secured to flange 4 as indicatedat 8, has its other end bent at right angles to form a projection 9which projects through aperture 6. The arm 7 is bent downwardly midwaybetween the point Sat which it is secured to flange 4 and the projection9 to space the portion of. the arm adjacent projection 9 from the undersurface of flange 4. The projection 9 forms an abutment for holding theupper edge of a plastic side plate 10 in place.

The plastic side plate 19 is shaped to conform to the curvature of thatportion of flange 4 between projection Q and the curved bottom edge 5,and is substantially the same length as the light fixture, so that whenone end thereof fits against the flange 4 of one end plate 2 the otherend will fit against the corresponding flange of the end plate at theopposite end of the fixture. The lower edge of side plate 10 ispositioned in engagement with the curved bottom edge 5 of flange 4- withthe upper portion of the side plate spaced from the flange. The sideplate is then pressed outwardly. As the upper edge of the side plate 10moves past resilient arm 7 the arm is pressed upwardly against thehorizontal portion of flange 4, and when the upper edge of the sideplate passes the projection 9 the resilience of the arm 7 moves theprojection 9 back to its normal position, thereby forming an abutmentagainst which the upper edge of the side plate is engaged to hold theside plate against accidental displacement. In order to remove the sideplate 10 from the fixture the arm 7 is pushed upwardly against thehorizontal portion of flange 4, and the side plate is pressed inwardlywith its bottom edge adjacent curved bottom edge 5 of the flange. Thecurved bottom edge 5 acts as a fulcrum for the bottom edge of the sideplate. When the upper edge of side plate 10 is moved past the arm 7 itslower edge may be lifted out of the curved portion 5 of the flange.

The center portion of end plate 2 has a pair of lugs 11 and 12 struckout at right angles therefrom. The lugs 11 and 12 are symmetricallydisposed relative to a vertical center line through the end plate. .Eachof the lugs 11 and 12 is provided with a comparatively large aperture 13and with a small aperture 14 positioned adjacent the upper edge of thelug. The lugs 11 and 12 comprise the means for securing a reflector 15and a plurality of sockets 16 in the fixture.

The reflector comprises a sheet of metal having a top Wall 17 and sidewalls 18 depending therefrom. The side walls 18 comprise a series ofangular portions terminating in flanges 19 extending in planes parallelrespectively to the planes of lugs 11 and 12. When the reflector 15 isassembled with the end plates 2 the opposite ends of its top wall 17engage the under surface of flanges 3 and its lowermost flanges 19 arejuxtaposed against the inner surfaces of lugs 11 and 12 at opposite endsof the fixture. The intermediate side wall portions 29, 21 and 22 of thereflector are symmetrical, and extend inwardly, downwardly, and thenoutwardly, to give some rigidity to the reflector. The ends of flange 19are recessed, as indicated at 23, and are provided with an aperture 24adjacent each recess.

Each socket 116 comprises a base portion 25 and a projecting portion 26.The portion 26 is provided with a recess 27 adapted to receive one endof a fluorescent tube 28 and providing suitable electrical contactstherefor. The base portion 25 is provided with a pair of recesses 29 and30 to receive the ends of the wires which are connected to the contactswithin recess 27. An other recess 31 extends entirely through baseportion 25 and midway of its length is provided with a recess extendinglaterally from both sides thereof.

Each socket 16 is positioned adjacent one of the lugs 11 or 12 with itsbase portion towards the center of the end plate and its portion 26projecting through aperture 13. The reflector is then positioned withflanges 19 adjacent lugs 11 and 12. The recesses 23 engage

